The Dominican Republic has taken decisive action to capitalise on a sudden shift in Caribbean travel patterns, authorising the arrival of 800 additional flights. This move is a direct response to a surge in tourists who were originally destined for Jamaica and other nearby islands but have been rerouted following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa.
Massive Flight Authorisation to Boost Tourism
Industry officials confirmed on Wednesday, 26th November 2025, that the combination of regular and charter flights was approved as the country prepares for its peak tourism season. Nairobi Santos, a spokesperson for the nation's Association of Hotels and Tourism, stated confidently, "This will have a positive impact on hotel occupancy in the Dominican Republic, and Dominican hotels have the capacity to receive that influx."
Santos clarified that the extra flights will be distributed over an eight-month period. She also revealed that an average occupancy rate exceeding 95% is projected for the upcoming holiday season, signalling a massive influx of visitors.
Diverging Fortunes: Dominican Boom vs. Jamaican Recovery
Héctor Porcella, president of the Dominican Republic’s Civil Aviation Board, explained the rationale behind the bulk authorisation. "We authorised 800 flights in one fell swoop because all that tourism that was going to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic will benefit," he told reporters this week. He expressed sympathy for the disaster unleashed by the Category 5 storm, which particularly devastated Jamaica, the Bahamas, Cuba, and Haiti last month.
The statistics already show a significant uptick. Tourist arrivals in the Dominican Republic jumped to more than 672,000 in October, up from over 575,600 in September. Officials anticipate this number will surge even higher this month. From January to October, the country has welcomed more than 8 million visitors. Furthermore, hotel occupancy rates climbed to 63% in October from 58% the previous month, according to the Dominican Central Bank.
Jamaica's Uphill Battle After the Storm
While the Dominican Republic braces for a visitor boom, Jamaica faces a long and difficult recovery. Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the island's western region on 28th October, causing widespread destruction. Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica's Tourism Minister, reported numerous flight cancellations, with some major hotels not expecting to reopen until mid- or late 2026.
However, Bartlett offered a glimmer of hope, stating that he expects roughly 60% of hotel rooms to become available from mid-December. He also noted that cruise ships have returned, bringing some 32,000 passengers since the storm, with that figure expected to double in the following week.
The human and infrastructural toll in Jamaica remains severe. Alvin Gayle, director of the island’s emergency management office, said that as of Wednesday, nearly a month post-storm, 76% of the power grid was operational and 82% of customers had water. The storm killed 45 people, with 16 others still missing. In a tragic secondary effect, Health Minister Christopher Tufton confirmed 11 additional deaths from suspected or confirmed leptospirosis, with 91 overall suspected cases. The storm also killed at least 43 people in neighbouring Haiti.
This dramatic shift underscores the vital importance of tourism to the regional economy. The sector generated nearly $11 million for the Dominican Republic last year, solidifying its role as a cornerstone of the nation's financial stability.
